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Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy and appropriateness of colistin therapy in patients with hematological malignancies. Methods: Age, gender, type of hematologic malignancy, and potential carbapenem-resistant microorganism risk factors were all noted in this retrospective study. In empirical and agent-specific treatment groups, differences in demographic features, risk factors, treatment responses, and side effects were compared. Results: Sixty-three patients were included, 54% were male, and the median age was 49. In the last three months, the hospitalization rate history was 68%, and four patients had a hospitalization history in the ICU. Carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae colonization was present in 22 patients (35%). Gram-negative microorganisms were isolated in 34 patients (54%). The carbapenem, quinolone, and colistin resistance rates were 82%, 76%, and 4% respectively. Clinical and microbiological response rates were 60% and 69%. 7 and 28-day mortality rates were 17% and 35%. There was no significant difference in demographic data and comorbidities in empirical (n=48) and agent-specific (n=15) treatment groups. The rate of carbapenem and glycopeptide treatments before colistin was higher in the empirical treatment group (p = 0.004; p = 0.001). The rate of starting combined antibiotics was higher inthe empirical treatment group (p = 0.016). Two of the patients developed renal failure in the first week after treatment. Conclusion: The use of empirical colistin may be unavoidable given the risk considerations. Shortly, colistin-resistant strains may also be a factor affecting treatment success negatively.

Objective: Most patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) have abnormalities of lymphocyte subsets. This study aimed to determine the distribution of lymphocytes in patients with various severity levels of COVID-19 and to describe the relationship between the CD4+ T helper and prognosis. Materials and Methods: Adult (>18 years old) patients with COVID-19 who followed up in a tertiary hospital were included in the study prospectively. Demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients were obtained from the hospital records. Peripheral flow cytometry was studied in patients with different severity of COVID-19 and different prognoses. Next, we analyzed the characteristics and predictive values of lymphocyte subsets in COVID-19 patients. Results: Totally 86 patients were included in the study, of which 21 (24.4%) had asymptomatic, 23 (26.7%) had mild/moderate, and 42 (48.8%) had severe/critical COVID-19. Severe/critical patients had lower lymphocyte levels and older age than asymptomatic patients (p

© 2021 by Associação Paulista de Medicina.BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an ongoing global health threat. However, currently, no standard therapy has been approved for the disease. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the clinical effectiveness of convalescent plasma (CP) in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) due to COVID-19. DESIGN AND SETTING: Retrospective study conducted at Kayseri City Education and Research Hospital, Kayseri, Turkey. METHODS: The case group consisted of adult patients (> 18 years) with ARDS due to COVID-19 who received CP in combination with antiviral and supportive treatment. These patients were compared with others who only received antiviral and supportive treatment. RESULTS: During the study period, a total of 30 patients with ARDS due to COVID-19 were included. Eleven patients (36%) received CP in combination with antiviral and supportive treatment, whereas nine-teen patients (64%) in the control group only received antiviral and supportive treatment. On admission, the median age, demographic and clinical data and initial laboratory test results were similar between the groups (P > 0.05). On the 14th day of treatment, the laboratory values remained similar between the groups (P > 0.05). The mortality rates were not significantly different between the groups. CONCLUSION: CP treatment did not affect mortality or lead to clinical improvement for COVID-19 patients with ARDS.

Human coronaviruses (HCoV) were first described in the mid-1960s. HCoV is an enveloped RNA virus with a single chain and positive polarity. The name “corona” comes from the crown-like spikes on the surface of the virus. Four major subgroups are known as follows: alpha, beta, gamma and delta. Subtypes of coronaviruses circulating in humans (HCoV-229E, HCoV-OC43, HCoV-NL63 and HKU1-CoV) are mostly viruses that cause colds. Coronaviruses are zoonotic viruses that infect many mammals and birds [1]. There are many coronaviruses that have not been transmitted to humans yet but are detected in animals. Before the virus (most likely a bat virus) gained the ability to infect humans, it jumps an intermediate host as occurred in previous outbreaks. It has been revealed that for emerge of SARS-CoV (Severe acute respiratory syndrome), civet cats played an imported role for transmission of disease to humans, whereas one-humped camels played an intermediate host for MERS-CoV (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) [2]. SARS-CoV was first defined in February 2003 in Asia (Guandong, China) and has spread to more than two dozen countries in North and South America, Europe and Asia. In about eight months, 8098 people are infected, and 774 people died. Since 2004, to our knowledge, there have been no new cases reported in the world. MERS- CoV also causes a severe respiratory disease with symptoms of fever, cough and shortness of breath. The disease was seen for the first time in September 2012 in Saudi Arabia, and all the patients with MERS- CoV had a history of travel or residence in the Arabian Peninsula and nearby countries. Outside the Arabian Peninsula, the disease was seen in the Republic of Korea in 2015. Again, the outbreak was associated with a traveler returning from the Arabian Peninsula. To date, 2494 people have been infected, and there 858 related deaths were reported related to MERS [2, 3].

Copyright © 2022 by The Korean Society of Infectious Diseases, Korean Society for Antimicrobial Therapy, and The Korean Society for AIDS.Background: Bacteremia is a common complication in hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients. Prophylactic fluoroquinolone is recommended and used in these individuals. Breakthrough infections can occur with fluoroquinolone-resistant strains. We aimed to identify the incidence, resistance, and risk factors for bacteremia in HSCT recipients receiving fluoroquinolone prophylaxis. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study was performed on patients who received fluoroquinolone prophylaxis and underwent autologous and allogeneic HSCT between 2015 and 2019. The incidence of bacteremia, comorbidity, treatment, and invasive procedures was compared in these patients with and without bacteremia. Results: There were 553 patients included in the study, 68 (12.3%) had bacteremia. The incidence of bacteremia is 8.2% of autologous HSCT recipients and 18.4% of allogeneic HSCT recipients. The significant risk factors associated with bacteremia were steroid-using (odds ratio [OR]:13.83, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.88 - 66.40), higher Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI)-mean (OR: 1.57, 95% CI: 1.15 - 2.16), diabetes mellitus (OR: 4.29, 95% CI: 1.11 - 16.48) in autologous HSCT, steroid-using (OR: 6.84, 95% CI: 1.44 - 32.33), longer duration of neutropenia (OR: 1.05, 95% CI: 1.01 - 1.09) using central venous catheter (OR: 7.81, 95% CI: 1.00 - 61.23) in allogeneic HSCT. Seventy-three pathogens were isolated from a total of 68 bacteremia episodes. The most commonly occurring agents were Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Enterococcus spp. Resistance to fluoroquinolones was 87.2%, 70.0% and 60.0% among these strains, respectively. Conclusion: High CCI, diabetes mellitus, use of steroids and long-term neutropenia and use of central venous catheters were significantly associated with the breakthrough bacteremia in HSCT recipients receiving fluoroquinolone prophylaxis. Fluoroquinolone prophylaxis may reduce the incidence of bacteremia but may select strains resistant to fluoroquinolone.

Aim: To investigate whether C-reactive protein/albumin ratio (CAR) has an association with new onset atrial fibrillation (NOAF) in SARS-CoV-2. Materials & methods: This study included 782 patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection, who were hospitalized in Turkey. The end point of the study was an occurrence of NOAF. Results: NOAF was identified in 41 patients (5.2%). Subjects who developed NOAF had a higher CAR compared with those who did not develop NOAF (p

Summary Background In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), the burden of healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) is not known due to a lack of national surveillance systems, standardized infection definitions, and paucity of infection prevention and control (IPC) organizations and legal infrastructure. Aim To determine the status of IPC bundle practice and the most frequent interventional variables in LMICs. Methods A questionnaire was emailed to Infectious Diseases International Research Initiative (ID-IRI) Group Members and dedicated IPC doctors working in LMICs to examine self-reported practices/policies regarding IPC bundles. Responding country incomes were classified by World Bank definitions into low, middle, and high. Comparison of LMIC results was then made to a control group of high-income countries (HICs). Findings This survey reports practices from one low-income country (LIC), 16 middle-income countries (MICs) (13 European), compared to eight high-income countries (HICs). Eighteen (95%) MICs had an IPC committee in their hospital, 12 (63.2%) had an annual agreed programme and produced an HCAI report. Annual agreed programmes (87.5% vs 63.2%, respectively) and an annual HCAI report (75.0% vs 63.2%, respectively) were more common in HICs than MICs. All HICs had at least one invasive device-related surveillance programme. Seven (37%) MICs had no invasive device-related surveillance programme, six (32%) had no ventilator-associated pneumonia prevention bundles, seven (37%) had no catheter-associated urinary tract infection prevention bundles, and five (27%) had no central line-associated bloodstream infection prevention bundles. Conclusion LMICs need to develop their own bundles with low-cost and high-level-of-evidence variables adapted to the limited resources, with further validation in reducing infection rates.

ÖzetAmaç:Karbapeneme dirençliKlebsiella pneumoniae(KDKp), dünya çapında hastane kaynaklı infeksiyonların önde gelen etkenlerinden biridir. Yüksek mortaliteyle seyreden kan dolaşımı infeksiyonları (KDİ)’na neden olmaktadır. Artan çoklu ilaç direncine bağlı olarak, tedavi seçenekleri çok sınırlıdır ve prognoz kötüdür. Bu çalışmanın amacı KDKp’nin etken olduğu KDİ’lerde mortalite için risk faktörlerini değerlendirmektir.Yöntemler:Eylül 2013 ile Ekim 2017 tarihleri arasında üçüncü basamak bir hastanede KDKp’ye bağlı kan dolaşımı infeksiyonu geçiren erişkin (>16 yaş) hastalar retrospektif olarak değerlendirildi. Hastaların demografik verileri, Charlson komorbidite indeksi (CKİ), yatış tarihinde ve infeksiyon günüde “acute physiology and chronic health evaluation” (APACHE II) skoru üreyenK. pneumoniae suşlarının minimum inhibitör konsantrasyonu (MİK) değerleri, antibiyotik tedavisi ve sonuçları (30 günlük mortalite) elektronik veri tabanlarından kaydedildi.Bulgular:Çalışma süresi boyunca toplam 82 hasta takip edildi. Medyan yaş 54.5’ti ve 48 (%58.5)’i erkekti. İnfeksiyon günü medyan APACHE II skoru 14 (IQR 6-28) ve CKİ 4.0 (IQR 0-12) idi. Kırk altı (%56.1) hastada YBÜ kaynaklı KDİ, 36 (% 43.9)’sında santral kateterle ilişkili KDİ ve 25 (% 30.5)’inde primer KDİ vardı. Elli (%61.0) hastada kombinasyon tedavisi uygulanırken en sık kullanılan antibiyotik kombinasyonu kolistin/tigesiklin (% 28) idi. Hastane ve yoğun bakım mortalite oranları sırasıyla %56.1 (46/82) ve %65.2 (30/46) idi. Tek değişkenli analizde, KDKp-KDİ ilişkili mortalite için risk faktörleri; yüksek CKİ, tedavinin beşinci gününde klinik yanıtsızlık, hastaneye yatış ve infeksiyon tarihinde yüksek APACHE II skoru olarak bulundu (p<0.05). Çok değişkenli analizde; mortalite için en önemli risk faktörü infeksiyon gününde APACHE II skoru idi (OR: 1.190; %95 CI: 1.088-1.301). Kombinasyon tedavisi veya monoterapinin sağkalım üzerine anlamlı bir etkisi yoktu. Ayrıca, KDKp suşlarının MİK değerleri mortaliteyle ilişkili bulunmadı.Sonuçlar:KDKp-KDİ’nın hastane mortalitesi %56.1 idi. İnfeksiyon gününde APACHE II skoru mortalite için en önemli prognostik faktördü. Mortalite oranı, kombinasyon (%54.3) ve monoterapi (%45.7) alan hastalar arasında benzerdi.

© 2020 Elsevier Inc.Background: There is limited data concerning the prevalence of arrhythmias, particularly atrial fibrillation (AF), which may develop as a consequence of direct myocardial injury and the inflammatory state existing in COVID-19. Methods: This single-center study included data concerning 658 COVID-19 patients, who were hospitalized in our institute, between April 20th, 2020 and July 30th, 2020. Demographic data, findings of the imaging studies, and laboratory test results were retrieved from the institutional digital database. Results: New onset AF (NOAF) was identified in 33 patients (5%). Patients who developed AF were older (72.42 ± 6.10 vs 53.78 ± 13.80, p < 0.001) and had higher frequencies of hypertension and heart failure compared to patients without NOAF (p < 0.001, for both). The CHA2DS2-VASc score was higher in patients, who developed NOAF, compared to those who did not during hospitalization for COVID-19 (p < 0.001). Subjects, who developed NOAF during hospitalization, had a higher leukocyte count, neutrophil / lymphocyte ratio (NLR), C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and procalcitonin levels compared to those without NOAF (p < 0.001 for all comparisons). Diffuse lung infiltration was also more frequent in COVID-19 patients, who developed NOAF, during hospitalization (p = 0.015). Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that age, CHA2DS2-VASc score, CRP, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and presence of diffuse lung infiltration on thorax CT were predictive for NOAF. Conclusion: The prevalence of NOAF in hospitalized COVID-19 patients is higher than the general population. Age, CHA2DS2-VASc score, C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and presence of diffuse lung infiltration on thorax CT may be used to identify patients at high risk for development of NOAF. Especially among these parameters, the presence of diffuse lung infiltration on thorax CT it was the most powerful independent predictor of NOAF development.

BK polyomavirus (BKPyV) infections are an important cause of morbidity and mortality after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Hemorrhagic cystitis (HC) may occur in patients undergoing HSCT due to the BKPyV reactivation. This study aimed to assess risk factors, clinical characteristics and treatment options of BKPyV infections after HSCT. A total of 54 patients with HSCT were retrospectively evaluated and BKPyV disease was found in 24 (44%). HC was seen in 20 (83%) of patients with BKPyV disease. The median age of patients was 42 and 50% of them were male. The most common underlying disease was Acute Myeloid Leukemia (62%). Five patients had autologous and 15 patients had allogeneic HSCT. The median time to engraftment was 15 days. GVHD was seen only in 7 patients. The median time elapsed to BKPyV disease after HSCT was found as 60 days. Nineteen patients with BKPyV disease had grade 3 and one patient had grade 2 HC. While BKPyV viremia was positive in five patients, viruria was detected in all patients. Eighteen (75%) of the patients with BKPyV disease were treated with cidofovir (5mg/kg IV) and 11 with ciprofloxacin (800 mg/day). Four of the patients who received intravesical cidofovir (dose). The complete response was obtained 53% of patients with BKPyV disease. In conclusion, BKPyV disease is an emerging clinical problem after HSCT causing morbidity and mortality. It can develop especially in the early period after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. This situation has been associated with the use of immunosuppressive treatments after transplantation. Close monitoring of BK virus in high-risk patients can be an important method to improve the complication in the early period.

Objective: Bloodstream infection (BSI) is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality associated with sepsis in the world. The aim of this retrospective study is to investigate positive blood cultures in adult patients with fatal outcome, and to evaluate the results of their blood cultures, the etiology of bacteremia and whether they received appropriate antimicrobial therapy or not.

Background Fungal pneumonia is a common infectious complication of hematological cancer (HC) patients. In this retrospective study, the objective was set to identify the risk factors and outcome of fungal pneumonia in adult HC patients. Materials and Methods This retrospective study was conducted with adult (>16 years) HC patients from January 2017 and December 2018. Results During the study period, of 181 patients included 76 were diagnosed with fungal pneumonia. The most common HC was identified as acute myeloid leukaemia (40%). Of the participating patients, 52 (29%) were hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients. The median age of patients with fungal pneumonia was significantly greater: 57 vs. 48 (odds ratio [OR]: 1.08) and they had longer hospitalization durations (OR: 1.14). Overall, 37 patients (20%) died, and 28-day mortality was significantly greater among patients with fungal pneumonia than without fungal pneumonia (33% vs. 11%). The most significant risk factors for mortality in fungal pneumonia were identified as need of intensive care unit (ICU) (OR: 191.2, P

BackgroundTuberculous meningitis (TBM) represents a diagnostic and management challenge to clinicians. The“Thwaites’ system” and “Lancet consensus scoring system” are utilized to differentiate TBM from bacterial meningitis but their utility in subacute and chronic meningitis where TBM is an important consideration is unknown.MethodsA multicenter retrospective study of adults with subacute and chronic meningitis, defined by symptoms greater than 5 days and less than 30 days for subacute meningitis (SAM) and greater than 30 days for chronic meningitis (CM). The “Thwaites’ system” and “Lancet consensus scoring system” scores and the diagnostic accuracy by sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve of receiver operating curve (AUC-ROC) were calculated. The “Thwaites’ system” and “Lancet consensus scoring system” suggest a high probability of TBM with scores ≤4, and with scores of ≥12, respectively.ResultsA total of 395 patients were identified; 313 (79.2%) had subacute and 82 (20.8%) with chronic meningitis. Patients with chronic meningitis were more likely caused by tuberculosis and had higher rates of HIV infection (P P P ConclusionBoth criteria can be helpful in distinguishing TBM from bacterial meningitis, but only the Lancet consensus scoring system can help differentiate TBM from meningitis caused by fungal, viral and unknown etiologies even though significant overlap occurs and the overall diagnostic accuracy of both criteria were either poor or fair.

OBJECTIVE: Patients in surgical intensive care units are thought to be at the highest risk for developing candidemia, especially patients undergoing abdominal surgery. The present study aims to investigate risk factors for candidemia in patients with abdominal surgery. METHODS: A retrospective study was undertaken that involved patients admitted to the surgical ICU between January 2016 and January 2017. All postoperative adult patients (>18 years old) who underwent abdominal surgery were included in this study. RESULTS: During the one-year study period, 49 patients developed candidemia. Thirty-five of candida isolates were non-albicans strains. Of them, 25 (51%) isolates were Candida parapsilosis, eight (16.3%) isolates were C. glabrata, one (2%) isolate was C. tropicalis and one (2%) isolate was C. kefyr. The median age of all patients enrolled in this study was 60.5+-15.6 years. In univariate analysis, the duration of the hospital stays, intensive care unit stay, type of surgery, respiratory failure, total parenteral nutrition, transfusion and use of central venous catheter were significantly higher in patients with candidemia. In multivariate analysis, duration of hospital and intensive care unit stay and use of central venous catheter was associated with an increased risk of candidemia. The mortality rate of case patients was 36.7%. CONCLUSION: Patients undergoing abdominal surgery are at increased risk of candidemia, especially the patients with prolonged intensive care unit/hospital stay and the patients with a central venous catheters. Antifungal prophylaxis may be considered for patients with increased risk.

The antibiotic colistin, which had been previously abandoned, is being brought back as a last line of defense against bacterial infection. However, colistin resistance was reported shortly after its reintroduction. This study evaluated the risk factors for colonization/infections due to colistin-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (ColR-Ab) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (ColR-Kp) strains and characterized the molecular epidemiology of these two strains.Age, previous hospitalization duration, and previous use of carbapenem and colistin were risk factors for ColR-Kp, whereas previous use of carbapenem and colistin was a risk factor for ColR-Ab. According to pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis, most ColR-Kp strains could be grouped into two major pulsotypes. This appears to be an indicator of cross contamination of ColR-Kp strain, since different isolates appeared to be belonging to the same clones. The existence of colistin-susceptible (ColS) and colistin-resistant (ColR) strains in the same pulsotypes might also be an indicator of the recent emergence of resistance mechanisms.The results highlight the emergence of ColR pathogens in Turkey, which is considered to be developing country, and that carbapenem use coupled with insufficient infection control measures might increase the risk of ColR outbreaks.